Surgical appliance.



J. N. ALEXANDER.

SURGICAL APPLIANCE.

APPLIGATION FILED APR.16. 1908.

950,065. Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

Mfhessem ANDREW B. GRAHAM c0. PnoTo-Lnnoamwzns WASHINGTON, O c.

ITE STATES PATENT ICE.

JAMES NOLAN ALEXANDER, OF PRATT CITY, ALABAMA.

SURGICAL APPLIANCE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jarms NOLAN ALEX- i-mman, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pratt City, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Surgical Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a surgical appliance and more particularly one for removing dirt, cinders, or other foreign matter from the eye.

The invention comprises a looped filament which is drawn across the eye-ball to remove the foreign matter therefrom, the action being similar to that of a brush.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved holder for the filament, and also a magazine for holding a supply of filaments.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention. Fig. '2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the jaws of the filament holder. Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4t of Fig. 1.

Referring specifically to the drawing, 5 denotes the handle of the appliance in one end of which is inserted the shank 6 of the filament holder. The shank is formed with four spring-jaws 7 with crossed radial slots or spaces therebetween and the jaws are screw threaded on the outside as indicated at 8 to receive a sleeve 9 having an interior conical thread engaging the jaw threads whereby the jaws are closed. The holder herein described is adapted to hold the free Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 16, 1908.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

Serial No. 427,398.

ends of a looped filament 10 said ends being inserted in the slots between the jaws and held between said jaws the contacting faces of which are flat so as to not cut the hair or filament. The handle 5 is hollow to form a magazine 11 to hold a supply of filaments.

In use the filament is drawn across the eyeball whereupon any foreign substance that may be lodged in the eye will be readily removed therefrom, the action of the filament being similar to that of a brush, and by the holding device herein described the loop can be readily made larger or smaller to suit the eye. The filament may be any fine thread-like substance such as the hair of an animal, vegetable fiber, etc., in order that the operation may be without danger of injury to or irritation of the eye.

I claim:

As anew article of manufacture, an eye scraper comprising a shank having crossed radial slots at one end thereof forming spring jaws integral therewith, the jaws being threaded on the outside and fiat on their contacting surfaces, a conical sleeve screwed on the said jaws to close the same, a looped filament, the ends of which are clamped between the fiat jaw surfaces, and a handle having a bore forming a filament magazine and enlarged at one end to receive the opposite end of said shank.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES NOLAN ALEXANDER.

Witnesses IV. H. BARNARD, J. R. STOBEBT. 

